TFLE01: FURTHER GAMBIAN REACTION TO MIDEAST

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANJUL 000476

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DAKAR PLS PASS RAO, DAO, AND ODC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/27/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC PTER GA LE
SUBJECT: TFLE01: FURTHER GAMBIAN REACTION TO MIDEAST
FIGHTING

REF: BANJUL 472 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: AMBASSADOR JOSEPH STAFFORD, REASON 1.4 (D, G)

PRESIDENT JAMMEH CONTINUES TO DENOUNCE ISRAEL
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1. (SBU) Following his July 21 statement criticizing Israel
over the Mideast violence (reftel),President Jammeh has
continued to denounce Israel. In a July 24 speech, he spoke
of an "agenda of war in the Middle East" aimed at the
destruction of Syrian and Iran so as to "allow the expansion
of Israel." Displaying his penchant for bombast, he warned
that the Mideast fighting could widen and become "another
World War." Observing that some might ask about the reason
for The Gambia's interest in the Mideast, Jammeh pointed to
the historically important role of the Lebanese community in
this country's economic life.

STATEMENT BY SUPREME ISLAMIC COUNCIL
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2. (SBU) The Gambia's Supreme Islamic Council (SIC),
principal advisory body to the GOTG on Islamic religious
matters, has also weighed in with an anti-Israeli
pronouncement. In a July 26 statement, SIC President Alhaji
Banding Drammeh portrayed Israeli military action in Lebanon
as "one of the most barbaric and appalling military
offensives in history." He called for urgent UN intervention
to impose a cease-fire.

AMBASSADOR'S STATEMENT
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3. (SBU) In remarks at the July 26 opening of a National
Assembly facility built with USG support, Ambassador took the
occasion to address the Mideast crisis, registering our deep
regret over the loss of life in Israel, Lebanon, and Gaza and
noting, with reference to Israel, the right of any country to
self-defense. In his remarks, which received prominent
coverage in the local media July 27, he stressed our
extensive, ongoing efforts on behalf of an "urgent and
enduring" end to the fighting, as exemplified by the
Secretary's visit to the region this week.

SIPDIS

EAC MEETING
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4. (C) Embassy's EAC met July 27; there was a consensus that,
notwithstanding the ongoing reaction here to the Mideast
violence and the anti-Israeli bias in Gambian pronouncements,
there were no signs of public protests or other threats to
U.S. interests emerging. EAC members noted that the GOTG
had so far failed to accede to a request by elements of the
Lebanese-origin community to stage a demonstration in front
of the UN office complex here. EAC members also agreed that
the Embassy's current security posture remains appropriate.
STAFFORD